This invention relates to a hand held lighting device. More particularly, to a hand held lighting device having a luminescent body for providing a light source in which to locate the hand held lighting device in the absence of light
Flashlights, hand held lighting devices having light reflectors, reflective tape; reflective paint thereon are commonly used to locate these devices for normal or emergency situations involving power failures, fires, smog, earthquakes and the like, where interior or exterior areas have a minimum or complete absence of light. These devices are typically stored on shelves, walls, or on cabinets to facilitate their locations.
Many types of materials are known to help reflect light or transmit light, these include reflective metallic materials, reflective paints and chemiluminescent materials. Most of the aforementioned materials will only function in the presence of some light.
There remains a need for a hand held lighting device having a luminescent body for providing a light source to locate the hand held lighting device in an interior or exterior area having a minimum or complete absence of light.
Flashlights, hand held lighting devices and other luminescent devices of various designs, styles, structures, configurations, and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,401,050 to BRITT et al discloses a phosphorescent escape route indicator having at least one protruding indicia formed within or attached to a sheet of material. The protruding indicia has incorporated therewith a phosphorescent substance capable of emitting a glow in the absence of light. An adhesive formed as part of the sheet is utilized to apply the indicator to the surface of walls or stairways thereby aiding in delineating escape route or access routes to emergency equipment during time of emergency. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,708,817 to DUDNICK discloses a container having a latent message on the container""s surface is coated with a luminescent, phosphorescent and/or fluorescent material, such that the warning message glows and is clearly discernible in the dark. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,943,896 to JOHNSON discloses a method of producing improved infant care articles, such as baby bottle assemblies, characterized by the inclusion of a non-toxic, non-irritating phosphorescent material with the material of construction of components of the infant care articles so that such components phosphorescently emit light visible in a darkened environment, allowing the location and position of the articles to be readily determined without the need for an additional light source. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,007,647 to GLUCK discloses a luminescent golf ball including a distinct luminescent coating formed and adhered to the entire outer curved surface, the luminescent coating is made from a luminescent chemical material in different colors being white, red, yellow or green, and has a clear and transparent shell protecting the luminescent coating. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,937 to SACHETTI discloses structures, such as labels on beer bottles having fluorescent and phosphorescent materials that emit and reflect light to provide a sense of identity to the beer bottle. The label is in the form of a blanket that has a protective grid of phosphorescent material thereon, such that when the phosphorescent material is exposed to light and placed in a dark environment the beer bottle label emits light for a period time. The protective grid is a pattern of intersecting ribbons of phosphorescent material anchored to and covering substantially one surface of the label. The protective grid provides a visual light shield that creates an image of identification for that label. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,502,623 to BROTZ discloses an illuminated clipboard having a transparent body with a light-emitting, light-diffusing upper surface and a curved bottom surface wherein the bottom surface curves upward at its sides to meet the top surface with a light source disposed within the transparent body of the clipboard to reflect light off the curved bottom which causes the light within the transparent body of the clipboard to be reflected off the bottom surface to the light-emitting, light-diffusing upper surface to illuminate what is positioned on the light-emitting, light-diffusing upper surface of the clipboard. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,552 to TOOMBS discloses a glow-in-the-dark lamp shade that includes a glow-in-the-dark region with a first side disposed toward a light source so that the light source illuminates the first side and with a second side disposed away from the light source. The glow-in-the-dark region includes a glow-in-the-dark substance that stores energy for illumination and that responds to the stored energy by emitting light in the visible range. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,752,761 to PIETRUCZYNIK discloses a high visibility flashlight body having a luminescent outer surface on the main body and closure cap. The outer surface includes a luminescent colorant composition in the base material, being distributed throughout the thickness of the main body. This prior art patent also teaches that the fluorescent colorants can be in either the outer layer or incorporated into the substrate layer of the main body of the flashlight. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,882,239 to TRICHAK discloses an illuminatable plastic disc that spins and flies when thrown that include chemiluminescent composition passages that extend radially across substantially the entire disc so when the disc spins in darkness, the entire disc appears illuminated. The chemiluminescent passages are formed integrally with the disc. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,450,173 and 5,898,508 to BERANICH discloses a portable duplicating device which may be used with any commercially available photocopy machine to provide two-dimensional copies of two or three dimensional objects. This duplicating device includes a luminescent box for illuminating the inside of the box for providing two-dimensional reproductions of two or three-dimensional objects. This prior art patent does not disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
None of these prior art patents disclose or teach a hand held lighting device having luminosity, being a luminescent coating thereon, for emergency or non-lighted conditions in which to illuminate the surfaces of such flashlights, and give them visibility in the absence of any light source; and wherein the luminescent coating has a protective plastic covering thereon to prevent the luminescent coating from wearing-off.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a hand held lighting device having a luminescent body for producing a bright light source in order to locate the hand held lighting device in the absence of light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand held lighting device that includes a luminescent body having a coating made from luminescent chemical materials selected from the group consisting of white phosphorous, red phosphorous, phosphors, organic guanines (fish scales), metallic and non-metallic micas, bismuth oxychloride, phosphorous oxychloride, or other chemiluminescent materials.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand held lighting device that produces a light source from a luminescent material which glows white, red, yellow or green in the absence of light.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a hand held lighting device that includes a shell housing cover for protecting the luminescent coating on the housing of the lighting device from wearing off or deteriorate through normal use and handling.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a hand held lighting device having a luminescent coating that is long-lasting, durable in use, and reliable for producing a light source in the absence of light. A still further object of the present invention is to provide a hand held lighting device having a luminescent coating that may be mass produced in an automated and economical manner and is readily affordable by the user.
The present invention provides for a hand held lighting device having a luminescent body for providing a light source in the absence of light. The hand held lighting device includes a housing having an outer curved wall surface and an end wall. The housing includes an attached lamp assembly having a light bulb, a reflector member and a lens therein. The housing also includes a battery cover and an interior compartment having a battery section for receiving one or more batteries for supplying power to the lamp assembly. The hand held lighting device includes a switching device in the housing for switching the lamp assembly to battery power in order to energize the lamp assembly. The housing further includes female socket receptacle for connectedly attaching to a battery charger for the recharging of the batteries for supplying power to the lamp assembly; and a luminescent coating for producing a light source on the outer curved wall surface, the battery cover and the end wall for affording visibility to the housing of hand held lighting device in the absence of any other light source, wherein the luminescent coating being formed on, adhered and bonded to the outer curved wall surface, the end wall and the battery cover of the housing, as a distinct and separate layer thereon. The hand held lighting device also includes a clear and transparent shell housing cover for protecting the luminescent coating from wearing off. Additionally, the clear and transparent shell housing cover is detachably connected to the lamp assembly by a connecting member.